THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Football has been one of America’s greatest pastimes since it evolved during the 19th century. The “Lost Century of American Football: Reports from the Birth of a Game” (ISBN 1439252564) combines hundreds of rare articles and restored vintage illustrations from more than 100 original sources to vividly depict the evolution of this American tradition from an unruly mob game in 1800 to a modern organized sport by 1900.
This 828-page volume of contemporary published accounts allows readers to indulge in the 19th century football fan’s real-time experience. Readers follow the sport chronologically from its primitive roots in the early 1800s, through the Civil War years, to the rise of college rivalries and the first professionals. “The Lost Century of American Football” reveals how rules came to be, and teaches readers the history of the game’s aspects, including the line of scrimmage, specialized positions, training methods, injuries, coaching and diagrammed plays.
The book also extensively covers off-the-field issues of social significance that continue to stir debate to this day. It discusses the role of college athletics in the educational system and the eligibility standards for high school recruits. Readers will discover how the media, money, gambling, ticket scalpers, public intoxication, riotous fans, sportsmanship and brutality impacted the sport through the years.
This comprehensive look at the formative years of the game serves as a time capsule of information and historical images which will take modern sports fans back to the humble beginnings to experience the explosive nationwide growth of America’s most popular sport.
“The Lost Century of American Football” is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.
About the Author:
The Lost Century of Sports Collection preserves and publishes rare articles and illustrations from America’s rich sporting heritage. Its editors hope to one day be valued as a source for historical publications. Other volumes in the collection include “The American Football Trilogy,” and the forthcoming “Daughters of the Lost Century.”
MEDIA CONTACT:
Greg Gubi
Email: Greg@LostCentury.com
Phone: (805) 375-6469
Website: www.LostCentury.com
